James Farentino

A handsome, sometimes brooding American actor with great promise as a leading man, James Farentino demonstrated his skills in a wide variety of roles on stage and screen. After starting his career on...
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Farentino, who enjoyed recurring roles in some of America's biggest TV shows, was suspected to have died of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on 24 January (12), but the star's cause of death has now been listed as "sequelae of right hip fracture" - an injury he sustained after falling out of bed at his California home in December (11), according to TMZ.com.
The exact nature of the hip complication has not been listed.
The fractured hip wasn't 73-year-old Farentino's only health problem - he also suffered from heart disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition which makes it difficult to breathe.
Farentino rose to fame in the 1960s and became known for starring opposite Patty Duke in 1969's Me, Natalie. He also became a TV favourite on shows like Police Story and Dynasty.

Actor James Farentino died Tuesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 73. The cause of death is not officially released, but a family spokesperson claimed the Hollywood star had suffered from a rather lengthy illness. He is survived by his fourth wife, Stella, whom he married in 1994, and by two sons, David and Saverio.
Best known for his TV work, Farentino earned nearly 100 credits for his roles in several television series, including recurring appearances in The Bold Ones: The Lawyers, Dynasty, Blue Thunder and Police Story. But you probably would recognize him best for playing George Clooney's estranged dad on ER. And although his private life didn't exactly have the best track record (he pleaded no contest to stalking his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Frank Sinatra's daughter Tina Sinatra, in 1994), it's always sad to say goodbye to another Hollywood vet.
We thank him for his many contributions to the entertainment industry. He will be missed.
Source: LA Times

Farentino, who enjoyed recurring roles in some of America's biggest TV shows, died of heart failure at the Cedars-Sinai Hospital on Tuesday (24Jan12).
He first came to prominence in the 1960s, appearing in several series and opposite Patty Duke in 1969's Me, Natalie.
Farentino went on to land roles in Dynasty, Melrose Place and in E.R., as George Clooney's onscreen father.
He was also known for his tumultuous personal life - he was married four times and once dated Frank Sinatra's daughter Tina.

The 72-year-old actor was detained by cops after they were called to his Hollywood Hills mansion on Sunday night (13Jun10) amid allegations he tried to physically remove an unnamed man from the property.
The man is said to have made a citizen's arrest and alerted police, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Farentino spent the night behind bars and was released on Monday morning (13Jun10) after posting $20,000 (£13,333) bail.
He is scheduled to appear in court in Hollywood on 8 July (10).

The 72-year-old actor, who is also known for playing George Clooney's on-screen father in ER, was detained by cops after they were called to his Hollywood Hills mansion following allegations an argument with an unnamed woman turned violent.
He was arrested on suspicion of battery, according to TMZ.com. No further details were available as WENN went to press.

Landed first leading role in a feature in "The Pad...And How To Use It"

TV-movie debut, "Wings of Fire" (NBC)

Final TV movie role, "Drive/II"

Played an abusive husband opposite ex-wife Michele Lee in CBS TV-movie "When No One Would Listen"

Appeared in the erotic thriller "Women of the Night," directed by Zalman King

Played Stanley Kowalski in the Broadway revival of "A Streetcar Named Desire"

Made a multi-episode appearance on the Fox drama "Melrose Place"

Broadway debut, "The Night of the Iguana"

Made TV debut on an episode of "Naked City" (ABC)

Made theater comeback in the Geffen Playhouse production of "Boy Gets Girl"

Starred in "The Lawyers" segments of the NBC series "The Bold Ones"

Feature film debut, "Violent Midnight"

Played the love interest for Mary Tyler Moore on "Mary" (CBS)

Starred in "John Dos Passos: USA"

Summary

A handsome, sometimes brooding American actor with great promise as a leading man, James Farentino demonstrated his skills in a wide variety of roles on stage and screen. After starting his career on Broadway, Farentino transitioned to film and television in the early 1960s, before becoming a leading man in "The Pad And How to Use It" (1966). He played Happy Loman in a telecast of "Death of a Salesman" (CBS, 1966) and later starred as the brutish Stanley Kowalski in a Broadway revival of "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1972). That same year, Farentino starred in his own detective series, "Cool Million" (NBC, 1972), and followed with his biggest role of the decade, and perhaps his career, by playing the apostle Simon Peter in the seminal miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" (NBC, 1977), which earned him an Emmy nomination. Turns as Juan Peron in the biopic "Evita Peron" (NBC, 1981) and the helicopter pilot on the short-lived cop series "Blue Thunder" (ABC, 1984) followed. From there, Farentino struggled to maintain consistency, appearing infrequently on the small screen throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Meanwhile, the actor found his legacy tarnished with a string of failed marriages, a charge of cocaine possession in 1991, a conviction for stalking former girlfriend Tina Sinatra in 1993, and an arrest for battery in 2010. The controversies were that much more regrettable as they overshadowed a talented actor's long and versatile career, which ultimately ended rather quietly with his death in 2012.<p>Born Feb. 24, 1938 in Brooklyn, NY, James Ferrantino was the son of Helen, a homemaker, and Anthony, a clothing designer. After tweaking his last name, he made his Broadway debut in a small role in Tennessee Williams' "The Night of the Iguana" in 1961 and quickly moved on to success in television and films, making only isolated returns to the stage. His film debut came in the forgotten thriller "Psychomania/Violent Midnight" (1963) and he next appeared in "Ensign Pulver" (1964) before catching a break with the lead in 1966's "The Pad...(And How to Use It)," as the hip friend of Brian Bedford who gives him advice on how to be a swinger. Farentino stole the movie and earned a Golden Globe Award as Most Promising Newcomer, but as the late 1960s were a difficult time for conventional leading men, the actor found good roles were sparse. After appearing in the ensemble melodrama "Banning" (1967) and opposite Patty Duke in "Me, Natalie" (1969), Farentino found better opportunities on television, beginning with his regular role as a novice, unorthodox attorney in the NBC series "The Lawyers" (1969-1972), which aired under the umbrella of "The Bold Ones."<p>After the case closed on "The Lawyers," Farentino segued into more series work as a CIA agent turned private investigator in "Cool Million" (NBC, 1972-73). He was Stanley Kowalski in the 25th anniversary production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" on Broadway in 1972 - for which he won a Theatre World Award - and won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Guest Artist for his work as McMurphy in a 1973 Chicago production of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." In 1975, he tackled the role of the older son Biff in a revival of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman;" he previous played younger son Happy in a 1966 CBS telecast. For his portrayal of Simon Peter in the 1977 NBC miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth," he earned an Emmy nomination, and Farentino essayed a memorable Juan Perón opposite Faye Dunaway's "Evita Perón" (NBC, 1981). The actor also appeared as the mysterious Dr. Nick Toscanni on the iconic nighttime soap "Dynasty" (ABC, 1981-89) and filmed the miniseries "Sins" (CBS, 1986) opposite its queen bee, Joan Collins. When he found the occasional film role, it was usually as men of power like the Navy commander from the past in the time-traveling Pearl Harbor adventure "The Final Countdown" (1980). In 1984, Farentino played the human lead to a police helicopter on the short-lived "Blue Thunder" (ABC) before trying a romantic role as the newsroom boss and love interest of Mary Tyler Moore on "Mary" (CBS).<p>He was on surer ground in the role of the district attorney and adversary to Tom Selleck in the feature "Her Alibi" (1989), and as Boston Mayor Kevin White in "Common Ground," the 1990 CBS miniseries about school busing in Boston. Real-life legal woes interceded on his career when he was arrested and charged with cocaine possession after Royal Canadian Mounted Police intercepted a package sent to his hotel room. Ironically, the trouble-prone actor was teamed romantically with the pristine Julie Andrews on her short-lived ABC sitcom "Julie" (1992). Farentino played an abusive husband opposite his real-life ex-wife Michele Lee in "When No One Would Listen" (CBS, 1992), and embodied the doomed Jose Menendez in the 1994 Fox miniseries "Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders."<p>Farentino's love life was famously complicated - he had four ex-wives in total, including the actresses Elizabeth Ashley and Michele Lee - and he pled no contest to a 1994 charge of stalking ex-girlfriend Tina Sinatra. Despite his illustrious résumé - not counting all his roles, he was one of Universal's last contract players - Farentino found quality work hard to come by as he aged, although a few projects stood out. He notched strong arcs on the hit shows "Melrose Place" (Fox, 1992-99) opposite Jack Wagner, and "ER" (NBC, 1994-2009) as George Clooney's dad, as well as had a supporting role opposite ex-wife Michele Lee in "Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story" (USA Network, 1998). He worked occasionally the following decade, but made his biggest headlines with additional legal trouble in 2010. Police were called to Farentino's home on June 13, and they took him into custody after another man, who suffered visible bruises, pressed charges of battery against the actor. Meanwhile, his health began to deteriorate and he fell off the public radar until Jan. 24, 2012, when news broke that he had died from heart failure following a lengthy battle with the illness. Farentino was 73 years old.<p><i>By Jonathan Riggs</i>

Dated on-and-off for five years; No longer together; Farentino pled no contest to a 1994 charge of stalking her

Education

Name

American Academy of Dramatic Arts

Notes

Farentino was arrested in Vancouver in 1991 on the charge of possession of cocaine.

In 1994, the actor pleaded no contest to stalking Tina Sinatra (Frank Sinatra's youngest daughter) after being charged with 24 misdemeanor counts of stalking, making harassing phone calls and violating a restraining order to stay away from her. The couple had a five-year on-and-off relationship. Farentino was placed on 36 months' probation and ordered to undergo psychiatric and alcohol counseling.

On June 14, 2010, Farentino was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery after a citizen's arrest was made. The man, who police said suffered bruising that was visible to officers, made a citizen's arrest on Farentino for battery, an arrest that the police believed was lawful.